Trump calls Putin election remarks 'so true!'

WASHINGTON (AP) - Donald Trump is reacting to Russian President Vladimir Putin's comment that Democrats are "humiliating themselves" by accusing Russia of tampering in the U.S. presidential election.

Trump tweeted "So true!" late Friday, quoting comments made by Putin at his end-of-year press conference.

Putin said Friday that Democrats "are losing on all fronts, and are trying to find the culprits elsewhere."

He added: "They are humiliating themselves. They must know how to lose with dignity."

The Obama administration has said the Russian government hacked the emails of U.S. citizens and institutions, including political organizations. The FBI and CIA have also said Russia interfered in the presidential election with the goal of supporting Trump.

Russia has denied the accusations, and Trump has dismissed the notion that his candidacy received outside support.

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5 p.m.

Donald Trump is asking when the United States and other countries will "fight back" against the perpetrators of attacks like Monday's deadly truck rampage in a Christmas market in Berlin.

Trump is quoting a video released Friday by the Islamic State group that shows Berlin attack suspect Anis Amri swearing allegiance to the group's leader while vowing to fight non-Muslims.

Trump, writing on Twitter Friday, quotes Amri saying, "By God's will we will slaughter you pigs."

The president-elect adds: "This is a purely religious threat, which turned into reality. Such hatred!"

Amri was killed Friday morning by police in Milan.

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3:20 p.m.

President-elect Donald Trump is criticizing the Obama administration's decision to allow the U.N. Security Council to condemn Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

He says in a tweet, "As to the U.N., things will be different after Jan. 20th." That's the day he will be inaugurated as president.

In a striking rupture with past practice, the United States allowed the U.N. Security Council on Friday to condemn the settlements as a "flagrant violation" of international law. In doing so, the Obama administration brushed aside Trump's demands that the U.S. exercise its veto and provided a climax to years of icy relations with Israel's leadership.

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11:25 a.m.

President-elect Donald Trump is passing along a "very nice letter" he says was sent by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The letter notes that serious global and regional challenges "show that the relations between Russia and the U.S. remain an important factor in ensuring stability and security in the modern world." The letter, which the Trump team describes as an unofficial translation, is dated Dec. 15.

The text was sent as an attachment to a statement from Trump's transition team Friday.

Trump said in response that Putin's "thoughts are so correct," adding, he hopes "both sides are able to live up to these thoughts, and we do not have to travel an alternate path."

The exchange comes on the heels of comments by both Trump and Putin about the need to strengthen their countries' nuclear arsenals.

Trump and Woods met Friday morning at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, where Trump typically spends the holidays.

The two have met on several occasions when Woods competed at various Trump-owned golf courses. It's unclear whether this is the first time they're playing a round of golf together.

Woods made a long-awaited comeback at the Hero World Challenge this month, his first competitive round in more than a year after back injuries sidelined him from the game.

Woods has also played golf with President Barack Obama.

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7:55 a.m.

A spokesman says the president-elect is putting other countries on notice with his tweet calling for greatly expanded U.S. nuclear capability.

The spokesman says Donald Trump was responding to Russia, China and other countries talking about expanding their own nuclear capabilities.

Sean Spicer said Friday, "The president isn't saying we're going to do this. He said, 'unless they come to their senses.' It's a warning to them that this president isn't going to sit idly by."

Also Friday, MSNBC reported that Trump said: "Let it be an arms race, because we will outmatch them at every pass and outlast them all."

The network's "Morning Joe" host Mika Brzezinski (brehz-ZIN'-skee) said Trump made the statement in a phone call with her.

Spicer spoke on Fox News and NBC's "Today."

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7:27 a.m.

President-elect Donald Trump is complaining about the pressure that led his son to stop directly raising money for a foundation.

Eric Trump said he would stop soliciting donations because he worried about the perception of buying access to his father. He says his namesake foundation has raised more than $15 million for terminally ill children.

Trump tweeted early Friday, "My wonderful son, Eric, will no longer be allowed to raise money for children with cancer because of a possible conflict of interest with my presidency. Isn't this a ridiculous shame? He loves these kids, has raised millions of dollars for them, and now must stop. Wrong answer!"

Trump's tweets followed an Associated Press report that Eric Trump's foundation financially benefits charities connected to his family and members of his foundation's board.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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